Former LMPD Lt. Jimmy Harper breaks silence about whistleblower trial and retiring

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) - A former LMPD lieutenant has retired following a controversial process and a whistleblower lawsuit against the city.

Jimmy Harper is setting things straight he says he was prevented from doing until now.

Harper appeared on Louisville's “D&D Spill the Tea” radio show Saturday morning accompanied by his attorney Thomas Clay. He spoke on what life has been like since the trial and why he decided to leave the department.

A jury awarded Harper $300,000 after he sued Metro Government after being demoted by Chief Steve Conrad after speaking out to the mayor regarding problems in the force.

“Did I expect the mayor to maybe relay what I said to [the chief]? Sure, I wasn’t concerned with that. I was concerned about the fact that we were seeing great progress in the second division at the time,” Harper said. “[Conrad] didn’t like anyone questioning his strategy. He didn’t like it at all and he decided ‘hey, you’re not on my team ... you haven’t been on my team - but you are really not on my team, now.’”

Saturday, Harper pulled no punches when it came to discussing a number of issues that have been plaguing the department – now just three days after his retirement.

“It was about telling the truth and when you tell the truth you expect to be respected for it and it didn’t happen with my case,” Harper said.

Harper talked about misuse of funds for LMPD overtime spending, saying it is “taxpayer money” that “was wasted.”

It wasn’t until now Harper was allowed to speak out.

Prior to the trial earlier this year, he was demoted to lieutenant but still with the department – so he was bound by its rules of speaking about cases or to media.

“For lack of a better word, a friend of mine said 'you get your freedom of speech back' and I am going to exercise my freedom of speech and speak up,” Harper told WDRB Saturday morning.

Harper said he consulted with his attorney and family and decided now was the time to retire, and he did on Oct. 31.

"The potential to assume another position on the police department wasn’t going to occur," he said.

Looking back, Harper said he would not do anything differently and has no regrets.

“If you can go home at the end of the day, look yourself in the mirror and say ‘I did a good job today’ then you are OK and you can go to sleep at night and that is what I can say, ‘I did a good job’ and I had a good career and I fought for what I believed in,” Harper said.

WDRB did reach out several times to LMPD for comment regarding Harper’s interview but have not heard back.

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